Colourism and Skin Bleaching in South Sudan

Sudan is a diverse country where its population merges its African roots with Arab blood. Unfortunately in Sudan there are many people who have never really felt Sudanese. There has always been a divide between the North and other parts of Sudan, which has led to civil conflicts in Darfur, Nuba Mountains and the South. In terms of a national identity, many people have been divided and Sudan never really achieved a sense of unity amongst the diverse Sudanese population, which eventually led to the separation of South Sudan. 

As racial hierarchies grew so did colourism. Colourism is discrimination by people with a lighter skin tone from a darker skin tone showing a favouritism with those of a lighter skin tone. In modern days, people also have coined this light skin versus dark skin where people have even attributed personality and character towards the treatment of people based on how dark or light their skin colour is. Colourism is shaped by society. As a darker skinned girl of a Sudanese background, I can attest that colourism is practiced in the 21st century and takes an emotional toll on the lives of many women and girls.

It’s not just Sudan or Africa. Many women in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean bleach their skin as well, using products, which contain hydroquinone, a lightening agent to attain fairer skin. Media portrayals of beauty standards in music videos, beauty advertisements and commercials, and movies contribute to how society looks at skin colour in women.

When I visited South Sudan in 2014, I was astounded by how much women use skin lightening creams. In Sudanese society, women are extremely diverse and their skin colour varies thus, many women have turned to different beauty regiments. Beauty stores are filled with lightening skin agents, various creams, which women can use to attain a lighter complexion. It’s easy to access and use throughout the community where many girls and women have turned to. There are many negative side effects of bleaching as skin lightening creams can even cause cancer and are hurtful to the melanin layers of the skin. 

I hope that society changes and that colourism is eventually eradicated in society as well as skin bleaching. It is up to the younger future generation to stop this phenomenon and for people to be educated about using alternative beauty products that are not harmful to the skin. Women and adults shouldbe educated on why they should prefer a natural look and or use makeup to attain a certain look instead of relying on bleaching agents to attain a lighter skin colour.

In Sudanese society, there are Sudanese beauty standards that many women often hope to achieve especially if they are of a different tribe and/or ethnicity from Sudanese with lighter skin tones. Since I am a darker Sudanese girl, I feel that beauty is internal and even though I do not bleach my skin, I know that it is something that many women turn to. However, it takes time for someone to grow comfortable within the skin that they are in, especially amongst societal beauty expectations and standards. Women are beautiful no matter what their skin colour is. I believe that women should stay positive and should grow comfortable in the skin colour that they were born in despite societal pressure and beauty standards that are advertised or deemed more attractive. 

Models such as Alek Wek, Adut Akech, and Duckie Thot have graced and taken over international stages from the runway to social media as darker models who have shown that their skin colour is beautiful and will not deter their success in the modelling. They also show that beauty is not just one skin colour and are positive role models to younger girls and women who look up to them as pioneersand leading black women. 

Dikun Elioba is a poet and writer living in Brooklyn, New York. Her poetry has been published in I Know Two Sudans poetry Anthology. She and her family still consider themselves Sudanese even though they are South Sudanese since 2011. She is passionate about Sudanese politics and poetry as a first generation.